A recipe

Once again I am back at it.  I am wearing the bugg.  Now, I will admit, I am not logging my food as faithfully as I should, but I am very conscious of the burn number and have been being reasonably careful about what I eat. 
…and I’m losing weight, so I’m not messing with it for now…
But, tonight, DH was not going to be home for dinner and in some crazy moment of weakness, I apparently promised “Breakfast For Dinner” to the kids. 
…..oops…..
I CAN make a healthy breakfast, but the kids were really thinking BACON…and lots of it!  So I figured bacon was the big splurge, so bacon went into the frying pan.  The kids ate a lot of bacon.
But, the surprising thing was that I made waffles from scratch, and the kids LOVED them!  Doesn’t seem strange perhaps, but let me tell ya….I used whole wheat flour, and my kids are not big fans of whole wheat pasta or any WW substitution, so I was really happy.  Happy enough that I made a second batch and froze those for a quick breakfast before school this week or next.
So without further ado….the whole wheat waffle recipe that was a winner with my two kiddos, ages 5 and 10:

2 eggs

2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cups milk

1 applesauce snack cup (it’s almost 1/2 cup)

1 Tablespoon sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs.  Add remaining ingredients and mix together.  Pour into heated waffle iron and cook until done!
Yeah, it’s that easy!  The original recipe called for regular all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup vegetable oil instead of applesauce.  I tried the applesauce and thought it was fine.  I eyeballed the salt and vanilla.
I hope you (and your kids) enjoy these if you give ‘em a try!
Lori

Forward Momentum

I lost 2 pounds last week.  Last night I figured I should charge my bugg and download all of the data that was on there.  While I was in there I decided it’s time to create a new program and get serious again.

For me, getting serious means logging my food.

Oh, and did I mention…….I HATE LOGGING MY FOOD!  Really.  I absolutely hate it, but, IT WORKS.  It keeps me honest and it makes me lose.  Then I thought,  maybe I should go really crazy for a couple of months and try to not only jump over this hurdle that I’ve been hanging around at, but kick the hurdle to the curb and keep on running!

So, I created a new program.  I did a lose 2 pounds a week program.  That is a 1000 calorie per day deficit.  I have been kinda struggling at getting 2600 calories a day burned, but I can do it if I get up in the am and get a workout in.

New program is 1700 in and 2700 out.  You may think “Girl’s gone crazy…she couldn’t hit 2600 and now she upped it to 2700???”…well, yeah.  I have gone a bit crazy, but it’s time to go crazy.  And it’s 8-10 weeks, you know. 

Last year I could do ANYTHING for 8-10 weeks, and keep on going after that.  So why now?  Why not get a bit ninja on this thing and go crazy.  I can do this for 8-10 weeks.  If I hold it steady for 10 weeks that is 20 pounds.  That gets me under 190, which would be awesome.

So today I got up, did my C25K and then after I was done with that I did another 30 minutes on the treadmill.  I logged breakfast and lunch.  I chose my food based on the fact that I had to log.  (See where logging makes a difference???)  I tend to do best when I log the meal soon after eating it so that I know where I’m at for the day.  Now I can spend my afternoon mentally planning different dinner options that won’t blow me out of the water, but keep me at or under that 1700. 

You have to keep that forward momentum, and I’m hoping that blogging often through these next 8-10 weeks will help me keep focus.  A friend pointed out to me that perhaps part of my problems so far this year are due partly to the fact that I got so defined last year by my weight loss success.  Now that I don’t have that I am floundering around wondering who I am and what I’m doing.  I think she’s very right, so I thought HOW do I fix it?  Well, for starters, I get back to what I was doing, and have that success again.  I’m NOT skinny.  I still could lose 50 pounds.  I will be comfortable at 30 pounds, but that’s a discussion for another day.  The point is, I know I need to do it and so it’s time to DO IT! 

Watch for more updates each week on how I’m doing.  I was a slave to the scale those months that I was all “crazy” so I am weighing often now to keep my focus.  I encourage you to look at what worked for you in the past and get back to what worked.  If you’re just starting out, read some of the older posts from when I first started.  You may find that you relate to many of the struggles I faced along the way.  This has been my biggest (and longest, time-wise) struggle for the thus far, but I am determined now to get past it and move onward.

Forward momentum, baby!  On to 205!

Keep chugging along…

It’s Thursday, and you know what that means…….weigh in day!

Now, first of all, let me re-state.  I HATE losing weight that I already lost.  But, hating it isn’t making it any easier to get over the hump of weight I’ve already lost, so a new attitude is required.

I am happy to report that I lost 2 pounds last week.  I weighed 210 and now I weigh 208. 

I have to be happy about those 2 pounds and keep moving the scale DOWN…so I am trying really hard to be happy about 208.  Now I have my sights set on 205.  That is the next bench-mark for me.  205…HERE I COME!

One thing that I changed up this week is that on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I am getting up early and doing a Couch to 5K workout in the morning.  I skipped over week 1 and started right at week 2.  If you’re not familiar with the C25K, check it out!  It’s a great training tool.  One of my goals for this summer is to be able to run a 5K from start to finish with no recovery walks.  I am doing this training program again so that I can get my running periods at a faster pace than I currently can run at.  This week I’ve been doing the running sections at 5.3 – 5.7 mph. 

Exercising in the morning really helps me get my burn in easier too….I end up hitting my burn target in the evening, instead of rushing around at 9 pm trying to get a few hundred calories burned so that I’ll hit the burn target before bedtime! 

So, that’s where I’m at….I lost 2 pounds last week and I’m just going to keep chugging along!

Lori

Remembering….

 

I ran in a fundraising 5K here over the weekend.  It was the first time in probably a month that I had gotten an outdoor run in early in the day.  After the race I had a busy day, so I mentally planned the day out while I was on my way to get the kiddos from my DH. 

The kids and I came home so that I could get cleaned up and then out we went…Subway for lunch and then groceries.  Back home to prep dinner for that evening, when we had friends and 3 kiddos join us for a fun night.  All day I was bopping around getting the house picked up and the food ready.

About 5 pm I sat down to just chill for about 30 minutes before the hubby got home and the evening started up again.  In those 30 minutes I thought about how great I had felt ALL day.  I had lots of energy…I got a lot accomplished.

Then I remembered the last time I had really felt great all day…it was about a month earlier when I was in California.  I had taken a 4 mile run outside on a beautiful day.  The rest of the day I was energized and happy. 

Perhaps there is something to this!  I decided that I would begin an experiment of sorts.  One of the things I want to do is get myself to the point that I can RUN a 5K.  By that I mean RUN the entire time…no walking recovery breaks.  So, I got the Couch to 5K (C25K) information out and set a plan.  I will get up on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and do a C25K workout.  We will see if those early morning workouts help to keep me energized throughout the day.

It’s funny how easy we forget really.  I have forgotten how good, healthy food and exercise really make me feel so much better.  I feel strong, fit and empowered.  When I eat junk and don’t exercise enough I feel horrible and my mood takes a nose-dive. 

Today I did day 1 of week 2 for C25K.  I am skipping week 1 as I felt like I was capable of skipping that one.  I am running faster during the running times than I normally would run.  I am hopeful that I can train my mind and body to be able to run faster for a longer amount of time.

When you’re feeling down look back to the times you felt better and evaluate how you can make changes TODAY to get those great feelings back.

Lori

Struggle

Oh, where do I begin? Maybe it began around Christmas time when tempting treats were all around and I said "sure" a few too many times. Or maybe it began at my one year "anniversary" when I looked at all I had accomplished in a year and thought that the hard work was now over. Or maybe ..... oh, hell, let's face it. I don't know when it began, but I have been STRUGGLING now for a LONG time.

Thursday was a really awful day for me. I tried to run outside on Wednesday and had the most horrible run I have EVER had. AWFUL. I had to turn back and come home. Then Thursday when I worked with the trainer I struggled again....pain....aches....being totally winded at what is normally a warm up walk.

And you know what, I was so ready to throw in the towel. I was ready to say forget it...this weight loss thing is too hard and I just can't do it anymore.

But I didn't. I took some of the trainer's "maybe you should try...." and did them. I added more fresh fruit into my diet. Fruit = natural sugar = energy. I took a multi-vitamin with iron. I took a magnesium. I ate lean red meat last night and tossed a handfull of fresh spinach into my salad.

Today...well, today I honestly feel better. I feel more energized. I walked 3 miles, and I felt good. I didn't hurt....I didn't struggle. I started at 3.5 mph, which is a warm up for me and after a while I bumped it up. I didn't go higher than 3.7 because I don't want to go crazy after feeling SO badly. After the 3 miles I did some of the arm exercised on the weight machine and then some kettlebell exercises.

And while I did the walking and weight work, I watched the Biggest Loser. I saw how much those people have struggled and how they've worked SO HARD.....which made me think of how hard I have worked....and how hard I CAN work.

Now, I hate to get on here and type out another "I'm back in the game" blog post, because I've hammered out several of those since January. But I am strong and I can work hard. Food is not the reward for me....feeling strong and healthy and FIT is a much better feeling than ANY FOOD has ever given me. I have no problems with the exercise side of the weight loss equation. I can work out...that does not scare me. But the food side....oh that's the killer for me.

I must stop looking at food as a REWARD, or something that I deserve. I deserve to feel and look great a lot more than I deserve the quick high and lower low that comes from eating unhealthy. Yes, I can have things occasionally that might not be the best choice. They are not gone from my life forever, but I OWE IT TO MYSELF to make healthy choices for myself most of the time.

From where I'm sitting right now (mentally and physically) it seems like the hardest part of struggle (for me) is getting out of that pattern. I need the scale to start moving DOWN on a consistent basis. One week of downward movement is not sufficient. I need to see a pound loss (OR MORE) each week. I cannot keep see-sawing up and down. I need to stop struggling and start thriving again.

If you're in a bad spot with your weight loss, don't give up. It's hard...it honestly is, but remember all of the hard work that you've put in thus far and know that YOU are stronger than any urge to eat unhealthy or skip a workout. Look at yourself and recognize that you DESERVE a healthy life!

Good luck....

Update…back on the wagon

 

Well, I have been back to using my Body Bugg to not only track calories OUT (that’s the easy part for me), but also to track calories IN.  Oh, how I hate those calories IN!

The eating is my nemesis.  I can exercise ‘til the cows come home, but the bad eating is so very hard of a habit to break. 

Now, having said that, let me just say that I have NOT been 100% “good” since starting my new Body Bugg program.  Here’s the low down of where I am.  I started the new program with a weight of 210.  My calories IN target is 1950 and my calorie BURN target is 2600.  I have been pretty good about hitting the burn (and a few hundred over a couple of days per week). 

I haven’t logged everything I eat, which was my goal.  I logged MOST but did skip a few days. 

I am going back to a Thursday weigh in.  I did that all along my journey in 2010 and I think it worked for me because I was “starting over” on Thursday, which made me psychologically less likely to blow it on the weekend.  Strange, but it worked for me, whereas a Monday weekend would find me behaving really badly on the weekend.

Today I weighed in at 207.  Now, let me say that even though that is GOOD, I’m not really super happy about it because I lost those 3 pounds before.  BUT…I cannot beat myself up over it.  I need to think “woo-hoo….3 pounds….keep it up” and move on.  I’m trying.

My jeans are tight.  I have a fat roll around my waist that plops over my waistband and I really hate it.  But, I’m putting on those jeans for a few hours every day to remind myself what I’m working towards.  I felt so much better even at a few pounds under 200.  I need to get back to “one-derland” and then keep going.  I need to get some distance between myself and 200 pounds.  But for now, my focus is to get to 205.  At 205, I’m so much closer to under 200. 

In 2010 I had small, manageable goals, and I kept my focus.  I am having a really hard time doing that this year, and I’m not sure why.  But, I have had a decent 10 days or so, and so I am going to keep trying to get that full focus back and keep moving on.  I know that I can do this.  I know that I owe it to myself to feel better.  I want to do this and so I must remain focused.

I would be interested to hear from anyone out there how you stay away from bad food.  I have stopped before eating and thought “I am going to feel so bad, physically and mentally after I do this” and yet I still do it.  It’s like I have two little versions of myself dueling it out on my shoulder.  Sadly, the bad, who-cares version wins out more often that I’d like.

So that’s my week in a nutshell.  Hopefully your diet and exercise goals are going easier than mine, but just keep in mind that YOU can do it and you have to make that choice.  I will keep telling myself this as well!

Accountability

 

Yesterday I professed my day of change.  And so yesterday decided to toss me a nice curveball that may be a great excuse to delay that change.  My son came home sick from school…the school is seeing a flu epidemic of sorts.  LOVELY.

Well, I did not let that curveball deter me.  Oh, no…I strapped that body bugg back on my arm before falling into bed last night.  I measure out my multi grain cheerios and skim milk this morning.  I snuck off to Kroger while DH held down the sick fort and stocked up on Motrin, Tylenol, fresh fruit and veggies, and all of those healthier things that became a “staple” in our house in 2010.

Then I toyed with the idea of running through to grab an easy lunch, but holding true to my goals….I came home.  Oh yes, I came home, put those groceries away, and then made myself a filling low calorie lunch. 

And that felt like a small victory!

So then I walked/jogged on the treadmill while watching last week’s BLoser episode.  One of the things Rulan said really hit home with me.  To paraphrase it, basically he said that when we lose weight we gain back part of our life that we didn’t even realize we had lost.

When you lose weight you gain back a part of your life that you didn’t even realize you had lost.

Oh, how true is THAT!?!? 

And, in keeping with the whole accountability thing, I want you all to know that I logged in my breakfast, lunch, and post workout snack.  I have about 1100 calories left for today’s intake.  Not to shabby!  This easily allows me a reasonable snack between now and dinner and maybe even some fresh veggies after dinner. 

Pick the day, make the change.  You might find that in losing the weight you will gain back a piece of your life you hadn’t even realized you lost.

And here we go again….

 

On January 24th I blogged that I was starting over and ready to kick ass and take names.  Well, that didn’t work out so hot for me…once again….I failed.

Ugh….I hate that.  Really…I do.  But now here I am again, getting back on the horse.  February is a hard month for me but I’m sticking my chin up and moving forward.  Really…I am.  This time I really am.

So here’s where I sit…I have gained some weight.  I re-did my Body Bugg program today.  My new targets are in there and I’m not trying to go insane.  One pound a week is really manageable.  I think I’ll have weeks with more, but I’m going to look for one a week and go from there.  I need to hit one a week. 

Right now, I just need the scale to go DOWN instead of up, so I’m starting with one a week. 

Before when I started I preached about small, manageable goals.  I lost sight of that for myself, and I know that was kinda stupid of me.  But I’m back…I am going to set small, manageable goals for myself starting right now.

Goals:

1.  Eat at home more.  Fast food (even the healthier choices) are a fast way for me to start spinning out of control.  I need to reel it in a bit, so I will limit eating out to no more than 2 meals per week.

2.  Log everything that I eat.  Everything. 

3.  Hit my burn, step, and activity target every day.  Every Day.

4.  Drink 64 ounces of water daily.

5.  Get my weight back to the 20?’s.  That’s right….two hundred and some number less than 9.  (told ya I had been bad)

OK…there ya have it…there ya are.  I’m going to write those goals down and tape them to my monitor.  I’m also going to try and blog twice per week.  The blogging is an accountability for me and I need that right now.  Hold me accountable…ask me how I’m doing on my goals…call me out if I don’t come through!

I hate how I feel right now….seriously.  I hate that my jeans are tight and I hate that my gut is blobbing over the waistband of my jeans.  I feel ugh and I’m ready to get the ugh out and move forward.  I’m ready to feel feisty and thinner again and feel accomplished that I lost weight and kept it off…I’m ready to see the scale moving downward instead of creeping up.

So……with that…..Here I Go Again…..

When it’s just not working….

Sometimes I wonder what’s wrong with me. I mean, I know that the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. So when my current Body Bugg program isn’t working so well for me after 20-some days, WHY did it take me until NOW to change it?

Simply, I don’t know, but the important thing is, I have changed it now.

Here’s where I was. I started things back up on January 2. I would go back to logging food and staying as close to that target as I can. I would also make darned sure that I hit my burn target every day. Well, the sad thing with weight loss is that 60 pounds ago, it was a lot easier to hit 3000 calories per day burned. As you lose weight it’s harder and harder to consistently maintain those high burns. Logic would tell me that as I lose and find it harder to hit the burn I would need to reduce my caloric intake to offset the lower burn.

Logic and I don’t always see eye to eye.

So I have been struggling. Now, I must throw in here that I’ve also had some hormonal issues. Not wanting to get too graphic on you, but I have been having problems and the weight loss was assumed to be a culprit in those problems. Apparently fat produces testosterone. So my body now has much less testosterone than it did before, so my hormones are all outta whack. That struggle plus the whole lower burn (even when I work my ass off) has made for a tough 20-something days.

But no more…today I finally pulled my head out of my behind and thought “OK….I have a hard time hitting the burn, which makes me mad, so I eat because I’m just pissed. Maybe I need to REDUCE the burn target and focus on the calories IN target to take some of the stress off”.

So I did….I re-did my program. I went down to 1.5 pounds a week loss. My calories in target is still 1800 but now instead of a burn target of 2800, my burn target is 2550. I KNOW I can hit 2550 in a day, even without a huge workout. So now I can focus on the real problem for me…the calories IN. I am no longer beating myself up on not hitting the burn….I should be able to hit that fairly easily. I am focusing on what’s going IN…that is my weakness.

Here’s another big revelation I had. I was struggling for the 1000 calorie a day deficit to lose 2 pounds a week. I didn’t want to lose less than that. Well, honey, it’s sure better to consistently lose 1.5 pounds per week than to lose 2, gain 3, lose 1, etc. So, I am shifting my thinking. I am focusing on controlling the difficult thing, which for me is the calories in. I will hit the burn target every day and be vigilant about logging after each meal so that I have a good grasp on where I’m at, calorie wise.

The lesson for all of us in this is that YOU have to know when something is NOT working for YOUR body. And when it’s not working, don’t be afraid to make the changes necessary for your success. I’m not sure why it took me 20-something days, but I’m here now, and I am confident that these new targets will help me get back on track and lose the 30 pounds that I so desperately want to lose to finish this journey.

~Lori~

A Year in Inches

One year ago today I walked into the gym with huge hopes and dreams.

OK...not really. My hope was actually quite small, but that just doesn't sound as good for a opening sentence! But, one year ago today I did walk into that gym for my first "fitness assessment" with the personal trainer, Becky.

During this "fitness assessment" (in where, I'm fairly certain it was discovered that I had NO fitness whatsoever...) my measurements were taken.

I am a 5' 6" female.

That has not changed in the year since I walked into the gym. However, the rest of the measurements have changed.....oh, how they have changed!

First of all, in this year I have lost a total of 70 pounds, getting to 195 at my lowest. Unfortunately, the past 6 weeks have not been good for me (eating-wise) so I have gained and lost and gained and lost. Today's measurement puts me at 205, which is still nothing to be unhappy about.

I have lost 60 pounds in those 12 months. If I take my (very tall) 4-year old daughter and a Kettle bell, that shows me what 60 pounds is. For Thanksgiving I usually cook a 20 pound turkey. If I tossed 3 of those into a laundry basket and carried it around, that is what I lost. Wow....that's heavy.

Today Becky was here for our weekly butt-kicking so I asked her to measure me again. This is the big news....this is pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

A year ago, my arms measured 15.5" inches around. That is the part of my upper arm that sits 5" above my elbow.

Today that measured 12.5". Three inches gone from my arm. Wow...that's pretty cool.

A year ago, my chest measured 47.5". Today that measured 40". That's a loss of 7.5". Not bad!

My waist, a year ago today was a shameful 46" around. That's just shy of 4 FEET around. Well, today, I am so happy to report that my waist is a wonderful 10" less, measuring at 36". WOW...36"! I am very happy about that!

And, finally, a year ago my hips were 46.5" around...baby got BACK! Well, today, I have less "back" measuring in at 39.5" for a loss of 7 inches.

That, folks, is a lot of inches.

3 left arm
3 right arm
7.5 chest
10 waist
7 hips
30.5

Thirty and a half inches.

Thirty and a half inches, adding up to 60 pounds of fat and flab gone from my body.

Twelve months ago I went into the gym wearing a 22/24 pant and a XXL shirt. Today I wear a size 14 pant and a Large shirt. I have even bought a few 12's and fit into them!

Today I am leaner, healthier, and more active. A year ago today I was embarrassed to walk into that gym, let alone let someone assess my fitness and take my measurements. Today I reminded Becky to bring a tape so she COULD do measurements!

A year ago I thought if I could just drop 10 or maybe even 15 pounds then I wouldn't be edging uncomfortably close to 300 pounds. Today I am focusing (once again) on getting below 200 and then getting a nice, comfortable distance from 200 so that if I bounce around 10 pounds, that bounce won't put me over that dreaded 200 mark!

Today I am not going to focus on the disappointment that I have in those 10 pounds I gained over the holidays, but I am going to focus on the 60 pounds that I did lose and the 30.5 inches that left on the same bus outta Lori-ville.

Weight loss is not going to be a temporary thing for me; the last 6 weeks taught me that so clearly. Old habits are easy to fall back into, so I will spend the rest of my life being vigilant and being mindful of what I am eating. I often razz my good friend, who on a "bad" day probably wears a 6. To me, she is TINY. But, to hear her complain about gaining 10 pounds and struggling to get those off so that her pants aren't' tight was just downright irritating. Being in that very spot right now is kinda humorous. And, I can see that for me, I need to get to that comfortable place. Maybe my comfortable place will be in the 170's....and if I get up into the 180's, I know that I've hit those dreaded 10 pounds and it's time to be very careful. Time to be very vigilant. Time to be very mindful. But that is OK, because 2010 was the really tough part for me....2010 was the year that I went from being out of control to grabbing the wheel of my own destiny again. I am now in charge, the weight is NOT. I am no longer looking down the barrel of "almost 300 pounds", which is exactly what 265 felt like to me. At that point I thought it's got to be 35 pounds DOWN instead of 35 pounds up because if not, there will be no turning back....I will feel totally lost.

So, here I am...205, and I'm OK with that. I could probably stay this weight forever and be OK with myself, but for ME, I need to get a comfortable distance from 200. For now I am going to celebrate what I accomplished over the last 12 months and focus on doing more great things in the next 12.

I hope that if even one person out there reads this and identifies with it they will KNOW that they too can make big changes in their life. So for that person, whomever you may be out there reading, you CAN do it. You CAN lose the weight. You CAN get your body to a healthier state. You are stronger and more dedicated than anyone when it comes to YOU. And above all, YOU are totally worth it and YOU deserve it! Good luck!

Stay Tuned.....

Today is a big day, with big things to celebrate.

Stay tuned for more! I hate to toss out a "teaser", but I didn't want y'all to think I had abandoned you. I'm still here and today's post will (hopefully) be a good one!

Lori

Finding Nemo - Just Keep Swimming

One Week Down............

Well, I am officially one week into logging food and paying attention to my "burn" numbers. I should be happy...I mean, really...I should, because I lost 3 pounds, but I am not happy.

See, I've lost those 3 pounds before. Yeah....seriously.

I got to 195 in November. Then I thought it would be OK to slack off, quit logging food, and ENJOY the holidays without restriction. And, at that time I was willing to take any weight gain consequences.

UGH

I weighed in on 1/1 at 205. Wow. Ten pounds of enjoyment. Ouch...that hurts. So, today I weighed in at 202. Which means by next Monday I should hit the coveted "Under 200".....again.

Now, if this story were a friend's story, I'd be all "It's OK...you're on the right track...don't beat yourself up over it....blah blah blah." And, I'd mean it. But I keep saying it to myself and I'm just not buying it. I just keep thinking "What a damned idiot...have I learned NOTHING?"

So, here I am, trying to not beat myself up over those 10 pounds, and happy that I'm back on track, back to logging my food, and back to eating fairly clean. I say fairly because I didn't log Saturday or Sunday. I wasn't horrible, but I wasn't perfect either. And maybe therein lies the balance.

I kinda feel like Dory in "Finding Nemo" when she's swimming along and singing "Just Keep Swimming....just keep swimming....just keep swimming aloooooooong".

One Day At A Time

One Meal At A Time

One Healthy Choice At A Time (actual choice, not the brand!)

Just keep swimming.....just keep swimming.....just keep swimming alooooooooong!

It's hard...there are no easy quick fix answers. We did this to ourselves over a period of time and now we're fixing it, but it's going to happen over TIME....not instantly. Yeah, I hate losing those 10 pounds again, and I really wish I was losing a new 10 pounds. But...I'm not, so I need to focus on 194 and be happy about where I got to in 2010. NOW is happening. The rest is just history.

Just keep swimming people!

~Lori~

PS...one last thing. Need proof that I'm crazy? Well, I ran a 5K on Saturday in 17 degree weather. DAMN it was COLD! I ran it in 38 minutes and some odd seconds. I'm anxiously awaiting "official" results to be posted.

PSS...final edit. I found "official" results online. I finished in 38:18...I was 129th out of 138. Ha ha. I was 9th of 11 in my age bracket. The funniest thing is that 5 of the registered "walkers" had a better time that I did! Oh well....I finished, I got a really nice t-shirt, and now I can say I've run a 5K!

Getting Going

It's January and people all over the US are hitting the gym and changing how they eat. According to experts (on some random website I found by using Google, so you totally know it's accurate...right??? Ha ha), 40-45% of American adults make one or more resolutions each year. Apparently 75% of those people are still sticking with it after one week.

Well, we're almost to the one week mark, so I hope you're sticking with it!

Here's what I want to say about those health related resolutions. You don't have to completely flip-flop your lifestyle to succeed. In fact, I really believe that making SMALL changes gradually will facilitate success more so than making many large changes at once.

I didn't make huge changes. But I got big results in the end. At first, my goal was a small one. At 265 pounds my first number-related goal was to "get into the 250's". I'm a big dreamer like that! BUT, hitting 259, which on most occasions would not be a huge accomplishment, was in fact a big deal for me. I had succeeded. I had done what I set out to do. And just that small victory made me ready for more...ready to move that number a bit lower.

So I set my next goal as "get into the 240's". This time it's a longer stretch because we're talking 10 pounds...but as the scale inched downward I could see that finish line within reach. And that kept me going.

In addition to setting the "number" goal low, I started making changes to facilitate that change, but I didn't implement them all at once. I sat down and made a list of my really bad, unhealthy habits. The list probably looked something like this:

1. Eat fast food too often
2. Little (or no) exercise
3. Eat too much processed food
4. Drink too much
5. Don't eat enough fruits and vegetables
6. I make the "healthy" food unhealthy by pouring dressing/gravy/sauce on it.

I'm sure there were other things, but those are the ones that come to mind first. Now, you might look at this list and think "Well, that's easy enough...just change those", but if I would have changed all of those things immediately, our life would've drastically changed. And I KNOW that I would've gotten sick of that crap and quit.

So I changed SLOWLY. Obviously I changed the exercise issue first. But, I didn't go from completely sedentary to gym rat. I started small and worked out a few days per week. I gradually added time and days until I was working out almost daily. Some nights (and I'm ABSOLUTELY NOT bullshitting you here) I would walk from my driveway up about 4 houses BACK AND FORTH about 100 times until I hit my target calorie burn. Also, I have been found going up and down the stairs to our basement in order to burn a few more calories.

Those things might seem crazy, and a bit extreme, but for me, that's what I HAD to do! I knew the numbers would not lie, so if I had eaten my target calorie intake then I absolutely had to hit the target calorie burn.

I rarely ate out at first. I was a bit psycho about it and my family really got a bit irritated. But, finally I got online and researched WHERE and WHAT and HOW MANY calories I'd get and stuck to it. Having a plan walking in a restaurant was a very powerful thing for me. It made me see that I did not have to give up eating at a restaurant, I just had to be prepared.

Fast food was a tough one because we're on the go a lot and my kids enjoy going to McDonald's every now and then. I can only convince these people to eat so much Subway! So, grilled snack wraps with no sauce or the grilled southwest salad became my fall-back plan. When I HAD to go there I knew I could get something and I knew how many calories I'd be "spending" on that.

So, as you proceed through the end of this pivotal first week, evaluate what you're doing and what you want to get out of it. If you're looking for a long-term fix, perhaps going slower NOW will actually benefit you in the long run. Make a list of your bad habits. Vow to change those, one-at-a-time and even write out a plan for changing them or at the very least, adapting them to fit into a healthier lifestyle.

And, finally, before closing this post, I do want to give you one last tip. Take a picture. Now. I know it sucks and I know you don't want to see it, but take a picture. I wish that I had taken a photo before I started. I have some but not exactly what I want. I generally hid from a camera before or made sure I was strategically positioned for minimal unflattering glimpses! Take a picture and then just put it on your computer and save it. At the end of the year, or 50 pounds from now, or whatever...you will be glad that you have something that you can SEE the difference. You'll feel better and look better, but there is something amazing about seeing the side-by-side comparison. If I could go back in time I'd take a Biggest Loser type photo...sports bra and workout shorts....fat rolls hanging all over the damned place and looking like hell. I still have fat rolls, but I'd love to see the side-by-side comparison.

Good luck as you proceed into the great beyond of the first week. A whopping 71% of you will still be with it after the 2nd week...and after a month, 64% of you will still be plugging away. The more specific you are about the resolution the more likely you are to achieve the goal, so write down a "best case scenario". I think you'll be surprised how much farther you can actually go...stick with it and let me know if you have any questions!

~Lori~

Eating Healthy

A lot of times it seems as if people think that eating healthy or being on a diet means that you are never full. Well, today when I piled my lunch plate high I wondered "how many calories are REALLY in this lunch?". So, I set out to find out the answer to this question.

Let me explain, first of all, that the Body Bugg software makes it pretty simple to get an accurate calorie count on what you're eating. In fact, all I had to do today was weigh everything and now we know. Here's what I had for lunch:


And here's how many calories that plate (and it's a full sized dinner plate, not a salad plate!) FULL of food was:

309

Yeah, you read that right...309.

Three Hundred and Nine

Now, in the grand scheme of 1800 calories a day that I'm trying to stay at, that's not much. In fact, that's a "well I guess I'll be having a snack later" kinda meal! I must confess a few things...first of all, I have grown to love fresh, raw vegetables, with no dressing on them. Seriously...I love the taste of them. Secondly, I have to confess that I LOVE Laughing Cow cheese wedges. Just the simple act of spreading that cheese on the sandwich makes the sandwich so much richer and enjoyable. Like mayo, but without the fat & calories and trust me...the Laughing Cow even tastes better!

In full disclosure, I do feel that I should explain exactly what is on the sandwich. The "bread" is a Thomas brand bagel thin. I just found these at Kroger and I'm seriously loving them! Spread on that is one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese (garlic herb). I put on 6 slices of Oscar Meyer turkey, and a hand full of salad mix.

Now, here's a tip...I know many of you are thinking "But I don't have TIME to cut up all those veggies for every meal, yadda yadda.....". Well, neither do I folks! So, here's what I do and TRUST me...it makes eating healthy SO MUCH easier!

When I get home from the grocery store I leave out all of the vegetables and fruits that I bought. I then clean, cut, and Ziploc bag those babies. So in my fridge, instead of a bunch of celery you're gonna see a Ziploc with celery sticks cut up, cleaned, and ready to go! I do the same with broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, green pepper, and even a little onion. Then when I need to use them most of the work is done.

Here's another tip...if you're a dressing person (you know...you slather the dressing on your healthy salad adding about 400 calories and fat), then just slowly cut back. Buy reduced or no fat versions and slowly cut back on your regular dressing. I am being totally serious when I say that I prefer no dressing or dip, because I like to enjoy the flavor of the food now.

Oh, and one more thing...Rice Vinegar...check it out...very clean and refreshing on a salad. Hmmmm...maybe I should come up with a Rice Vinegar salad dressing....hmmmmm....


~Lori~

Really? We're only 2 days into this? REALLY?

OK, let me just say that even though I know logging my food WORKS, it still sucks! I hate it. But, I'm going to do it because IT WORKS for me.

I'm two days into the "restart" and thankful for the BodyBugg program. Tonight, I needed something sweet, specifically, chocolate. I'm serious...I NEEDED it.

So, I took a look at what I had logged thus far and decided that I was willing (and able) to spend some calories on 1/2 of a Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar.

...and it was goooooood.....

And there's the beauty of this program, right? I mean, how many people, 2 days into their "diet" are going to eat 1/2 of a Hershey bar and not say they "cheated"? Not me...oh no....I did not cheat. I am still within my daily caloric intake so I DID NOT CHEAT!

Ha ha...I just love that!

Now, this obviously can't become a daily ritual, but it is so wonderful to know that when I NEED it, I can have it!

Oh, and just in case you're interested, I am drinking the water. All 100+ ounces of it daily. Wow...that is a lot of water folks! But, I know that by the end of a few weeks I am going to see a big weight loss because I'm flushing out the excess sodium and whatever else is lurking in there from all of the holiday bad eating and drinking. And, drinking the water makes me feel better.

...and pee a lot...

So, on that note, I am signing off for tonight, but just know that if you're out there thinking "Geesh, this SUCKS" you're so totally NOT alone. I'm out here muttering it also, but keep with it and the rewards you will see on the scale will make it suck a little less every week!

Lori

A Fresh Canvas

To me, the New Year always seems like a fresh canvas must seem to an artist....

...a spot where ANYTHING can happen...it's just up to YOU, the artist to make that first swipe of the brush and see where it leads you...

I knew a few things would happen right away with my fresh canvas. First of all, my 2010 canvas' final masterpiece featured the loss of 70 pounds. So, with the new canvas begins the journey to lose an additional 30. The first step in this journey for ME is to put the Body Bugg back on, create a new program, and get back to what WORKS for ME. And as such, on January 1 I charged the Bugg back up, created the new program, and put it back on my left arm. I didn't log food on the 1st. I like to take baby steps! (Plus, we were having ham and beans, and I just didn't want to go there!) But today, once I had eaten breakfast (which, of course, was carefully MEASURED) I logged into the site and entered my food.

Step one of my 2011 canvas complete...

But, logging one meal isn't the finished product. Now I have to plan meals again, and choose what I'm going to eat based on how many calories I want to spend for that meal. Probably sounds like a pain, right? Well, it is, a bit, but once you get used to it, it's really not bad at all. And, I can tell you for SURE...the pain and inconvenience of logging food is NOTHING compared to the pain and inconvenience of lugging around an extra 70 pounds. FOR SURE.

And in the spirit of baby steps, I am changing one thing a week (or so). I followed this thought process last year, and will do do again. So, this week, I am changing my water consumption. That's right, I'm going to drink 8 glasses a day every day this week. Once the week is over (in my experience) it's become more of a habit than a chore, and I am a firm believer that water consumption is a HUGE help in weight loss. I have my bottle of smart water...it's a 20 oz. bottle. I drank the initial bottle and have filled it from the fridge once. So, I'm well on my way. Now, I know that the recommendation is 64 ounces, so drinking 8 of these bottles is MORE than enough. I'm aiming for 5 bottles full...that's 100 oz. and that's good for me.

Environmentalists, do not despair! I open ONE bottle per day and refill it. Yeah, I know I should use a washable bottle and all that, but I'm all about baby steps, remember? So I put ONE bottle per day into the trash. It could be 5, so I'm making a baby step there! Work with me....

Readers (if there are any of you out there) I challenge you to get back to basics, whatever that is for you. If you don't know what works for you yet, figure it out! There are tons of great weight loss "assistants" out there...these things will assist you in succeeding. You can do it. Change ONE thing this week...cut your soda consumption in half...go for 3 walks for 30 minutes each....stop eating fast food....just DO SOMETHING! Trust me when I say that these small changes will add up to BIG RESULTS in the end. If one a week is too much, change one thing every two weeks...you can do it!

~Lori~